Pouakai Hut – The Best View of Mount Taranaki

In this guide, we tell you everything you need to know about staying at the Pouakai Hut and enjoying the best view of Mount Taranaki. This spot is also known as Mount Taranaki Lake. We also include info on camping for free, track condition, when the hut fills up, and more!

Pouakai Hut – The Best view of Mount Taranaki

Mount Taranaki is without a doubt one of the most impressive natural landscapes in New Zealand. This huge free-standing volcano is truly beautiful and can be viewed from afar. In fact, from the town of New Plymouth and the surrounding area, the views of Mount Taranaki are spectacular.
However, in recent times, one viewpoint has become somewhat famous however still not well known. That viewpoint is from the Pouakai Hut. In my opinion and many others, it’s from this hut (or actually just past it) you get the best view of Mount Taranaki.
This amazing view is all thanks to a Tarn or Alpine Lake commonly called Mount Taranaki Lake (its actual name is the Pouakai Tarn.) On a calm day, the tarn gives a perfect reflection Mount Taranaki.
This relfection photo has become famous on social media (that’s actually how I found out about it) meaning more people and less room at the hut. For that reason, I decided to write a complete guide not only on how to get the perfect shot, but also the Pouakai Hut.It’s not just the Pouakai tarn that makes for great photos!

The Hike to the Hut

The Pouakai Hut is actually part of the three-day Pouakai Circuit. This circuit loops around Mount Taranaki. However, it’s not necessary to hike the circuit to get to the Pouakai Hut and instead you can hike for two hours to the hut from the carpark, stay the night at the hut, and hike back down the next day. Of course, this can also be done all in one day and only involves around 4 hours of walking if you visit the tarn too.
The start of the trail is about a 20-minute drive from the centre of New Plymouth. To get there simply head to Mangorei Road and follow it right to the end. Here, there is a very large car park. The start of the trail is around 100m up the road from the carpark.Most of the trail is boardwalk to keep you out of the mud
The hike to the hut is mostly uphill and is around 6km long with around 700m of elevation. The area gets really muddy so I recommended taking waterproof hiking boots, although it’s not required. Most of the trail is shaded from both the sun and wind until the last part of the trail.Some spots, look like this!

Doing the day hike

If you don’t have the time for the overnight trip then you can do the hike all in a day. That being said, it is important that you pick a day that is not windy if you want to see the reflection or as it’s known, “the best view of Taranaki.” The winds tend to be lower in the morning so it could be a good idea to get hiking early. Also during the day, the trail does become crowded with day hikers and same with the tarn viewpoint.

Staying at the Hut

Staying at the Pouakai Hut requires a “Serviced Hut Pass” which needs to be bought in advance from any Department of Conservation office and costs $15 NZD per person. In New Plymouth, you can also get hut passes from the Kathmandu store in town.
It is important to note that the Serviced Hut Pass only is the payment for staying in the hut. The hut does not take bookings in advance and works on a first come first serve basis.
The hut has 16 bunks and a basic kitchen. At the hut, there is a water tank and a pit toilet. The hut has no gas or cooking equipment.

What if the hut fills up?

As you can’t book the hut, you could arrive and there may be no places to sleep (this is very common in the summer). The hut ranger won’t turn you away and instead, you will need to sleep on the floor in the kitchen area. Because of this, it is best to bring a sleeping mat with you just in case.The kitchen facilities at the hut where some people had to sleep!

When does the hut fill up?

During my stay, I arrived at the hut at 10 am. This was largely due to the fact I needed to write this guide and wanted to see what time it began to fill.
At 10 am, people from the night before were still asleep and after they left around 11 am the hut was completely empty. By 12 pm, one or two people had arrived, by 2 pm about half the beds where gone, and by 4 pm the hut was full.
After that, the others got the terrible news that the hut was full and they would have to sleep on the floor. I had brought two mats with me so I lent them to those that didn’t have any.
With this said, I would say you need to arrive before 12 pm to ensure you get a bed. Any time after that you run the risk of not getting a bunk.The Pouakai Hut

What about camping?

Yes, you can actually camp near the hut for free but there are a few rules to this. The main one is to not destroy any vegetation and the other is you must be 500m from the tarn. To simplify it, if you walk up past the hut towards the tarn you will reach a flat cleared are. This area has been cleared naturally and it is here that you can camp. You will, however, have no protection from the wind so pick a good day or take a good tent.
I found out about the camping only after I had done the hike. At the top, I saw the signs and spoke to the ranger who confirmed this. But I will be camping next time in around 2 weeks forsure!This is the flat area for camping! It has one amazing view!

Ideal time/focal length to shoot the best view of Mount Taranaki

The most ideal and beautiful times to shoot Mount Taranaki are of course at sunrise and sunset. During these times you can usually find only one or two other people at the tarn and the winds can be calmer – especially in the morning.
The most ideal focal length in my eyes is anything from 24mm to 35mm. From the edge of Poakai tarn, this will give you a wide enough view to get a great shot and allow for a little bit of cropping later.

Not a bad spot for a photo!

Staying at the Pouakai Hut and watching the sun both set and rise is arguably the best view of Mount Taranaki and was a dream come true. Mount Taranaki is such a magnificent volcano and staying at the Pouakai Hut gives you the best opportunity to get an amazing shot – or just enjoy one hell of a view!
I hope this blog has helped you on your journey and feel free to leave us feedback in the comments! If you would like to see more blogs from New Zealand, click here!
-Daniel

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The Faces of Destinationless Travel

We are Dan and Bailey, just your typical thrill-seeking travelers! You will likely find us hiking, scuba diving, catching public transport, or just drinking beer at a hostel. Our motto is "you can't get lost if you don't have a destination" and that's why we call our blog Destinationless Travel! Cheers for joining us on our adventures!